The Central African Republic has become the first African country - and only the second in the world after El Salvador - to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. Members of parliament unanimously approved the move and President Faustin Archange Touadera signed a bill into law that makes the cryptocurrency legal tender alongside the CFA franc.

The landlocked state, which is one of the world's poorest, has suffered from a devastating armed conflict in recent years. Journalist Clement di Roma, who lives in the CAR capital, Bangui, says the government hopes the move will help to push forward economic development and facilitate investment.